Amusement device



0. V. BORGESON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18. 1920.

Patented Mar. 15, 192i.

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AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8, 1920.

. Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEE 3.

- INI/Enron scar l( B05765011,

Arron/Ins WIT/VESSES UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE.

OSCAR 'VILHELM BORGESON, OF BROOKLYN, NEN YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOHERMAN SCHULTZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented llc/lar. 15, 1921.

Application filed March 18, 1920. Serial No. 366,825.A

To all whom it may conce-rn Be it known that I, OSCAR V. BoRGnsoN, acitizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York,borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Amusement Device, of Which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to amusement devices, toys, games or the like.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an amusementdevice which is in the nature of a game requiring a Certainamount ofskill and in which the element of luck plays only a secondary part, thusrendering the same highly amusing and interesting to the participants ofthe same.

Another object in view is to provide an amusement device which simulatesa race lcourse over which a plurality of racing bodies are adapted to bemoved between a starting point and a goal, each of said bodies beingunder the direct control of one of the participants of the game, withmechanism provided which permits the participants to match their skillin avoiding penalties for a failure to observe certain restrictions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which includes automatic means for returning theracing bodies to they starting point after the Winning body has reachedthe goal.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter set forth which includes means for automatically presentingthe front of the bodies in the direction ofk travel in order to simulatemore closely the real instrumentality which is represented.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for carryingout the foregoing and other objects, which is simple in construction,inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and which is automatic inoperation to high degree.

With these and other objects in view which will be more readily apparentas the nature, purpose and operation of the device is better understoodfrom the following description anvd'claims, reference is had tothe'accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the assembled device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view therethrough with parts broken away toAdisclose the underlying structure.

Fig. 3 is, a fragmentary plan View.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view therethrough taken approximately on the line4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional'view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference Which denote likeparts throughout the several views thereof, 10 designates a framedefining a stage 11 in front of which is positioned a counter 12. Atopposite ends of the stage and supported by the frame work are arrangedthe transverse beams 13 and 14 between which are suspended a pluralityof parallel suspension cables 15 which constitute trolleys throughoutthe length of which are movable a plurality of carrier blocks 16 each ofwhich is designed to be supported by a pair of said cables, said carrierblocks are being provided with tubular guides 17 through which thecables are passed in mounting the same thereon. Racing bodies 18 hereillustrated as .minature aeroplanes are swivelly supported from thecarrier blocks by the pinion shafts 19 which pass through acentralaperture in the blocks and are provided` with pinions 2O keyed tothe upper extremity thereof which protrudes above the upper surface ofsaid carrier blocks. A rack bar 21 is longitudinally slidable on theupper surface of each carrier block in the guides 22 and the teeth ofsaid rack bar engage and co-act with the teeth of the pinion 2O for apurpose to be hereafter set forth. The opposite extremities of the rackbar are provided with apertures for the reception of the terminals of anendless drive belt 23 which is trained around the idler pulley 24secured to the transverse beam 14 and around the drive pulley 25arranged adjacent the transverse beam 13.

The means for rotating each of the drive pulleys 25 comprises theindividual operating wheels 26 secured to the vertical shafts 27 whichpass through the counter 12. Each `of said shafts 27 is provided with abeveled gear 28 meshing with a similar gear 29 on the rearwardlyextending shaft 30 which `is provided at its opposite end with a bevelgear 31 meshing with a bevel gear 32 on the vertical shaft 33. The upperend of the vertical shaft is provided With a cone friction clutch member34 which normally engages the cone clutch member 35 upon which the drivepulley is mounted. A centrifugal speed governor 36 is provided in thelength of the shaft 33 adjacent the clutch member 34 in order to controlthe engagement of said clutch member with the clutch member 35. When thedrive pulley is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig.3 the initial movement of the belt 23 will exert a pull on the rack bar21 thereby moving the same through the guides until the toothed portionthereof engages the forward guide to arrest further movement thereof.The engagement of its teeth with the pinion will serve to rotate saidpinion and itsshaft 19 in order to present the nose of the racing bodysimulating an aeroplane7 in the direction of travel. Further rotation ofthe drive pulley will advance the carrier toward the beam 14 which willbe hereinafter termed the goaL Means for returning the carriers towardthe beam 13 hereinafter termed the starting point, is provided and saidmeans includes the drums 37 each of which is mounted upon a transversestationary shaft 38. A. convolute spring 39 is secured at one extremityto the shaft 38 as at 40 and at its opposite extremity Ito the drum asat 41. A cable 42 is secured to the drum at one extremity and adaptedlto be wound thereon. `The opposite extremity of said cable is attachedto the rear end of Athelrack bar 21. Then the carriers are advancedtoward the goal the cables 42 will be unwound from the drum resulting inthe winding up of the spring 39 on the shaft 38 and the placing of saiddrums undera tension. p

In operation of the device each player selects one of 'the operatingwheels 26 and turns Ithe same inthe proper direction to advance hisplane or racing body 18. Should any one of the players seek to advancehis plane above a predetermined speed the centrifuga-l governor 36 willdisengage the clutch member 34 from the clutch member The drive pulleyand clutch member 35 willlthen be free to move and immediately thetension on the spring` 39 will exert a pull on the cable -42 initiallymoving the rack bar 21 to the rear `to present the nose of the planetoward the starting point and further resulting in the returning of thecarriage and plane to the starting point thus penalizing the player forhis lack of skill in judging the maximum speed at which the plane willtravel. The clutch member 35 is supported by a vertical shaft 43 mountedin the brackets 44 for vertical movement, a stop 45 being provided tolimit the downward movement of the same.

Means ifs provided for returning all of the carriers to the cstartingpoint7 when the winning plane reaches'the goal and said means includes arock shaft 46 havingV a plurality of arms 47 keyed thereto for movementtherewith, the free extremities of said arms being bifurcated or forkedas at 48. Trunnions 49 are provided in the furcations of the bifurcatedportion 48 and 'the same engage in the annular groove 50 formed in thesleeve 51 of the clutch member 35. A cam 52 is keyed to the rock shaftand provid-ed with an offset lip 53 which is normally engaged by theoffset portion 54 of the pivoted catch 55. An arm 56V is secured to therock shaft 46 and a coiled con* tractile spring 57 is secured at oneextremity to the free terminal `of the arm 56 and at its oppositeextremity to the frame 10 whereby to normally exert a tension to rotatethe shaft in thedirection indicated by the arrow when the offset portion54 of the catch 55 isdisengaged from the offset portion 53 of the cam52. The meansfor disengaging the offset portions 53 and 54 comprises asecond rock shaft 58 mounted transversely in the frame adjacent the beam14 and a depending arm 59 secured thereto and connected by the cableV60to the catch 55. A plurality of triggers 61 are also secured to therock shaft 58 and are each p0- sitioned between pairs of suspensioncables 15 which support the respective carriers so plane contacts withits trigger arm 61 the rock shaft 58 willbe rotated to exert a pull Y onthe cable 60 for disengaging the offset portion 54 from the offsetportion 53 of the cam. rlhe rock shaft 46 will be'rotated under theaction of the spring 57 thereby lifting the arms 47 and disengaging theclutch member 35 of each clutch from' its respective clutch member 34 toVpermit all of the drums 37 to rotate under the action of their springs39 whereby to return all ofA the carriages and planes to their startingpoint simultaneously; Means is provided f or rotating the rock shaft 46in the opposite direction to reset'the mechanism and engage all of theupper clutch members 35 with the lower clutch members 34 simultaneouslyand at the same time dispose the `offset portion 53V in engagement withthe offset portion 54. The said means includes an arm 65 secured to therock shaft 46 adjacent the front wall of the frame 10 dening the stagea-nd a pivoted operating lever 66 connected thereto by means of a lengthof eable'67.

While the racing bodies have been here illustrated as miniatureaeroplanes, it is of course understood that such a showing is merelyillustrative of one form of racing body which may be employed. It isalso to be understood that the frame work, counter and stage may bedispensed with and any other arrangement or construction of a supportingframe substituted if desired.

While there has been illustrated and described a preferred form ofapparatus, it is to'be understood that variations and modiications whichfall wit-hin the scope of the appended claims and which do not departfrom the spirit of the invention may be resorted to when foundexpedient.

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim` as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an amusement device, a race course having a starting point and agoal, a plurality of racing bodies adapted to be moved between thestarting point and the goal, independently operable means for advancingthe bodies toward the goal, and means for returning each of said bodiesto the starting point upon operation of its advancing means above apre-determined speed, comprising a clutch, a centrifugal governor forcontrolling the same, a drum mounted adjacent the starting point, acable connecting the racing body to the drum, and means for tensioningthe drum upon movement of said body toward the goal.

2. In an amusement device, a race course having a starting point and agoal, a plurality of racing bodies adapted to be moved between thestarting point and the goal, independently operable means for advancingthe bodies toward the goal comprising an endles belt having its endsconnected to the body, an idler guide pulley adjacent the goal and adrive pulley adjacent the starting point over which said belt `istrained, a driving mechanism for said belt, and means for returning eachof said bodies to the starting point upon operation of its advancingmeans above a predetermined speed, and means operable by the winningbody upon its arrival at the goal for automatically rendering all ofsaid returning means active whereby returns all of said bodies to thestarting point simultaneously.

3. In an amusement device, a race course having a starting point and agoal, a plurality of racing bodies adapted to be moved between thestarting point and the goal, independently operable means for advancingthe bodies toward the goal comprising an endless belt having its endsconnected to the body, an idler guide pulley adjacent the goal and adrive pulley adjacent the starting point over which said belt istrained, a driving mechanism for said belt, and means for returning eachof said bodies to the starting point upon operation of its advancingmeans above a predetermined speed, said means comprising a clutch, acentrifugal governor for controlling the same, a drum mounted adjacentthe starting point, a cable connected to the racing body and the drum,and means for tensioning the drum upon movement of the body toward thegoal, in combination with means operable by the swinging body upon itsarrival at the goal for automatically rendering all of said returningmeans active simultaneously.

4. In an amusement device, a race course having a starting point and agoal, a plurality of racing bodies adapted to be moved between thestarting point and the goal, inf dependently operable means foradvancing the bodies toward the goal comprising an endless belt havingits ends connected to the body, an idler guide pulley adjacent the goaland a drive pulley adjacent the starting point over which said belt istrained, a driving mechanism for said belt, means for returning each ofsaid bodies to the starting point upon operation of its advancing meansabove a predetermined speed, said means comprising a clutch, acentrifugal governor for controlling the same, a drum mounted adjacentthe starting point, a cable connected to the racing body and the drum,means for tensioning the drum upon movement of the body toward the goal,in combination with means operable by the swinging body upon its arrivalat the goal for automatically rendering all of said returning meansactive simultaneously, and means for initially presenting the front endof the bodies in the direction of travel.

5. In an amusement device simulating an aeroplane race, a frame havingspaced transverse supporting beams and a plurality of parallel cablessuspended therebetween to constitute a race course having a startingpoint and a goal, a plurality of racing bodies supported by and movableover said cables between the starting point and the goal, independentlyoperable means for advancing the bodies toward the goal, and means forreturning each of said bodies to the starting point upon operation ofits advancing means beyond a pre-determined speed.

6.. In an amusement device simulating an aeroplane race, a frame havingspaced transverse supporting beams and a plurality of parallel cablessuspended therebetween to constitute a race course having a startingpoint and a goal, a plurality of racing bodies supported by and movableover said cables between the starting point and the goal, independentlyoperable means for advancing the bodies toward the goal, means forreturning each of said bodies to the starting point upon operation ofits advancing means beyond a pre-determined speed, and means forrendering all of said returning meansV active simultaneously upon the`arrival of the winning body at the goal.

7. In an amusement device simulating an aeroplane race, a frame havingspaced trans'- verse supporting beams and a plurality of parallel cablessuspendedtherebetween to constitute a race course having a startingpoint and a goal, a plurality4 of racingbodies supported by and movableover said cables between the starting point and the goal, independentlyoperable means for advancing the bodies toward the goal, means forreturning each of said bodies to the starting point upon operation ofits advancing means beyond a predetermined speed, means for renderingall of said returning means active simultaneously upon the arrival ofthe winning body at the goal, and means for initially presenting theforward end of the bodies in the direction of travel of the same.

8. In an amusement device, a plurality of carriages, racing bodiescarried thereby, an overhead suspension means for Supporting saidcarriages, said suspension means deining a race course having a startingpoint and a goal between which the carriages are adapted to be moved,independently operf able means for advancing Vthe carriages toward thegoal, means for returning each of said carriages to the starting point,and' means for initially presenting the front end of the bodies in thedirection of travel of its carriage, comprising a vertical shaft securedto each body and j ournaled in its carriage, a pinion on each shaft, alongitudinally shiftable rack engaging said pinion and having itsopposite extremities respectively connected to the carriage advancingand means respectively on the carriage and rack adapted to co-act forlimiting the shaft of the rack.

9. In an amusementdevice, a race course having a starting point and agoal, a plurality of racing bodies adapted to be moved between thestarting point and goal, independent-ly operable means for advancing thebodies toward the goal comprising an endless belt having its endsconnected .to the bodies, an idler guide pulley adjacent the goal and adrive pulleyadjacent the starting point over which said belt is trained,a driving mechanism for said belt, means for returning each of saidbodies to the starting point upon operation of its advancing means abovea predetermined speed comprising a clutch, a centrifugal governor forcontrolling the same, a drum mounted adjacent the starting point, acable connecting the racing body and drum, means for tensioning the drumupon movement ofthe body toward the goal, and means for rendering all ofsaid returning means active simultaneously upon the arrival ofthewinning body at the goal comprising a commonshaft traversing all ofsaid clutches, arms secured to said shaft and respectively engaged withoneof the members at each clutch, means for rotating said Vshaft tocause thearms to disengage the clutch members, Vmeans for :normallyretaining said shaft against rotation, and means connected within saidlatter means and arranged adjacentV the goal in the path of movement ofthe racing bodies for releasing said retain-V ing means.

OSCAR VILH-ELM BQRGESON.`

